Torpedo-holder.



' TED srarns PATET F WILMER JAMES STROHM, OE MOLINE, KANSAS.

TORPEDO-I-IOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1915.

Application filed July 22, 1914. SeriaI No. 852,393.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILMER J. STROHM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Moline, in the county of Elk and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and use-' ply of torpedoes, whereby the certainty of such a supply, on demand, is assured, and whereby no loss of torpedoes may occur.

All persons connected with railways and having occasion to use a flag are also required to have a supply of torpedoes at hand, the most common method of carrying the same is to have them in a sack provided with a draw-string and, generally connected with the ordinary flag-stick by tying the draw-string thereto, with the consequent possibility of loss of said sack, or, in cold weather, with the difiiculty of untying the draw-string and opening the sack when the person desiring to utilize the torpedoes is wearing gloves or mittens and when the draw-string had been previously wet and had then frozen, as well as the sack, or when the sack had been left on the rear platform of a train and exposed to'the wet and cold.

A further object is to so form the flagstick as to admit of instantaneous substitution of a worn flag by a new one, or by one of another color, although this is not likely to occur, as a stick is always provided for each flag, and a still further object is to provide means for instant access to the torpedoes, and to make the flag-stick of a permanent construction and of approximately as little weight as the wood sticks now most commonly employed.

My invention is fully set forth in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts are designated by the same reference characters in each of the views, and in which V Figure 1 is a side view of my combined flag-stick and torpedo-holder, in position for use; Fig. 2 is .an end view thereof, on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and partly in section; Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4. is a fragmentary view of the stick and fixed portion of the handle, and

showing the alternate position of the movable side of the handle; and Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4:.

In the drawings forming a part ofthis application I have shown a flag-stick 6 of sheet metalbent longitudinally and at both sides to form substantially parallel flanges 7' in parallelism and substantial proximity to form alongitudinal slot 8, and thereby resulting in a longitudinally arranged casing 9 for thereception of a plurality of torpedoes 10, and it will be noted that the flanges 7 are inwardly bent at the outer end of the casing to prevent the escape of the torpedoes, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and '5, whereas the inner end of the casing is open and permits of theready passage of the torpedoes V v The flag-stick 6, beyond the casing 9, is extended to form the base or support for handlemembers 11 and 12, said base being designated 13 and clearly shown in Fig. 5, said handle members being jointly secured I in position by means of a rivet 14:, or equivalent, and the handle member 12 being further secured to the flag-stick by means of a rivet 15, thus rendering this member immovable but permitting swinging movement of the member 11 on its pivot 14, and this member ad oins, at. its free end, the open end of the casing 9, thus serving as a closure therefor and preventing the accidental escape of the torpedoes within the flag-stick, and I provide a transversely arranged ogee curve for the full length of the casing 9 in the metal of the flag-stick, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, whereby the stick is strengthened but which also serves another purpose. The said curve produces a ridge 16 interiorly of the casing 9, and a gutter or groove 17 exteriorly thereof, and for approximately the full length thereof, said ridge normally resting in a complemental groove 18 in the handle member 11, Fig. 4:, whereby said member is tensionally locked in closed position but may be manually moved therefrom to permit the escape of the contained torpedoes 10, and I also provide a ring 19 whereby the device may be hung on the inside of a way car door and thus always be handy and ready for use, and not exposed to the weather.

Resting in the gutter 17, for the approximate length of the casing 9, is a rod 20 which is embedded in a bore 21 in the fixed 12, Figs, 4: and 5, at its inner end, and the outer end of which is bent at an angle to pass through a hole 22 in the closed side of the casing, Figs. 2 and 5, this end of the rod being provided with an eye 23 adapted to receive a ring 24:, or

any equivalent thereof such as a cotter-pin,

nail, piece of Wire, etc., to prevent the withdrawal of this end of the bar from the easing 9, and said rod is passed through the hem 25 of a flag 26, said flag and rod being removed from the flag-stick by merely removing the ring 2i and withdrawing this end of the rod from the casing and then the other end from the handle member 12, and, When thus removed, the rod may be withdrawn from the hem of the flag When it is desired to substitute one flag for another, as a new one for an old one.

It will thus be seen that I provide means for an instant and positive supply of torpedoes which are carried Within the flagstick, and any number of which may be eX- tracted therefrom even if the hands of the person desiring to use the same be protected with gloves or mittens, there being no strings to untie, nor no sack to mislay or lose and, While I have shown the torpedoes of disklike form and the casing conforming thereto, it will be obvious that torpedoes of any form may be so contained in the flag-stick when the latter is suitably formed to receive the same, and, inasmuch as the fiagstick is composed of sheet metal, my device is little if any heavier than those composed of wood and to which the flag is tacked, and certainly much more durable.

The particular form of the flag-stick is subject to change, and I may make the same of any desired material, but prefer to form the same of aluminum, tin, or galvanized iron, but my main intent is to provide a combined flag-stick and torpedo holder, to which suitable equivalents for the suspending ring 19 to meet conditions, as will be understood.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device of the class described, comprising a casing closed at one side and end and open at the other side and the other end, and a handle for said casing having a movable element normally closing said open end.

2A device of the class described, comprising a sheet of metal having the edges thereof longitudinally turned to form a cas ing open at one side, said edges being compressed at one end to confine the contents, the solid side of said casing being longitudinally corrugated, to form an inwardly directed ridge, and a handle for said casing having a movable element normally closing the open end thereof, and having a groove therein adapted to receive said ridge to lock said element.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

. \VILMER JAMES STROHM.

Witnesses DAVID CHAFFIN, FRANK E. CALL.

(Topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

